to love a monster
by the unfeeling rock
Summary: they say people like us have no chance to find happiness in life. i'd begun to believe them. NarutoXoc SasukeXoc GaaraXoc sakura bashing
1. Chapter 1

**M'kay, just a short little notice before we start here. Mitsu-chan's OC will be taking the place of Fu as the jinchūriki for the seven tails. So if you don't know who she is, well it doesn't really matter, and if she just happened to be your fave character….we sorry 'bout that. Some OOCness occurs, but it's mainly in thoughts. Sooooo, yah. We own nothing. *CRY***

_Today was finally the day. The day the academy students started their lives as ninjas. Though, not everyone was excited to be put in their teams and meet their new sensei. Quite a few looked completely apathetic to the fact that they were now Genin. Among them were two girls, who underneath their bored expressions, were practically jumping for joy. Mai Uchiha and Kaiko, best friends since day one of the academy. Mai, Sasuke's little sister, and Kaiko graduated with marks that rivaled aren't anywhere near as bubble brained as the other girls. There was never any talk about which boy was the cutest or how they planned to snag them. And they defiantly weren't afraid of breaking a nail; there was no time for crap like that._

**XXxXX Naruto **

I sit down in at a random desk in Iruka-sensei's class, eagerly awaiting the orientation. It was taking forever for him to show up. Then heads began to turn, and eventually almost all gazes were at the door. So naturally I look as well. It's them, the most amazing girls in the academy. Both are beautiful, smart, and talented. And unlike most of the girls in the class, they don't seem interested in catching a boyfriend.

They seem mature for their age though, so I don't think you'd be able to tell by just looking. One of them looks my way, but turns almost instantly. She, in my opinion, is the prettiest out of the two. Mai… I'd say she's almost prettier than Sakura-chan. She has glossy black hair that she has braided down to her waist, her bangs are clipped back, and her face is framed by a few loose waves. She wears a short scarlet Yukata with black trimming and black over the knee socks with black ninja sandals.

I've never really talked to her, so beyond what I've seen myself, I don't know much about her. But she seems awfully close to that Uchiha, and that's the only thing I don't like. But she is friends with Kaiko-chan, so she must be a good person.

Just then Sakura-chan enters the room, followed by that blond haired girl, Ino. They rush over. Sakura-chan is heading right towards me! I'm about to say hi, but then next thing I know, I'm eating wood floor. As for Sakura-chan, her, Ino and just about every girl in the room swarm that damn Uchiha.

**XXxXX Sasuke**

As soon as they enter the room, every one stops to stare. The two girls carry on their conversation, as if oblivious to those around them. One is my little sister, Mai. She is as gifted as any other of our clan. And the other one...Kaiko. She and Mai have been friends since day one. They never leave each other's side if they can help it.

At first, I didn't want Mai anywhere near her. She was a jinchūriki that came to Konoha from Takigakure. And she hung out with that dobe Naruto. And not just that, but they lived together in his apartment until the Hokage could find a place for her to stay. No one wanted her around, and they were cruel to her. I remember soon after her arrival 6 years ago, walking through the streets and watching people stare at her and whisper, "Just like him," and "Monsters like them don't belong among normal people." After some eavesdropping and some constant questioning, I found out she was the holder of Chōmei, the seven-tails.

I think if she was any other girl, she'd have been considered the object of all boys' affections. She's all sea-foam green hair and violet eyes. It's a truly breathtaking combination. Not only is she beautiful, but smart too. And when Mai and I lost everything, she didn't hesitate to step in. She was more grown up than any eight-year-old should be. But she was patient, sitting through Mai's breakdowns, stroking her hair and acting like a mother comforting her child. Like she'd had years of practice.

She was always there, the friend Mai needed most at the time. It took a while for me to get used to her constant presence, with all their countless sleepovers at the compound. But it became comforting, and I soon began to wonder how we lived without her. At first, whenever adults saw them together in town, they would try to 'protect' Mai, while yelling at Kaiko that the Uchiha clan had suffered enough from demons wearing a human form. But that attitude changed once Mai had used her _charming powers of persuasion _to set them straight.

She looks over for a second, and our eyes lock. She smiles quickly before turning back to Mai. I flush lightly, ducking my head down for a second. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit it (even in my own head), that I think she'd make and amazing Uchiha herself. I suspect Mai knows something about this, but she doesn't pry. If anything, she seems to wants to help. "Excuse me S-Sasuke-kun?" I glance out the corner of my eye. Great, it's the fangirls. "Can I sit here?" And with that one comment, all of them swarm.

**XXxXX Kaiko**

"Excuse me S-Sasuke-kun? Can I sit here?" I turn away from Mai just as the girls begin to swarm Sasuke. A spark of annoyance passes over me. Then I smirk as I turn back. "You thinking what I'm thinking Mai-chan?" She smirks with me. "Of course." We make our way through the class room, jumping over the desk. We land smoothly on either side of Sasuke, causing the girls to break off their arguing. They glare at us, pure hatred pouring from every fiber of their being.

"The problem is solved. You can leave now." Mai says, matching their glares with one of her icy stares. I smile pleasantly to them, even though I want to yell 'suckers!' Her stare scares off most of them, except for Sakura and Ino. They glare back at her, fury clear on their faces. Sasuke shifts his gaze back to his hands. "Thanks," he mutters. I nod, knowing only Mai and I heard it. "What makes you so special?" Ino spat. "For once I agree with Ino-pig." Sakura says. "What if he doesn't want to sit with you?" Sasuke keeps his gaze forward, refusing to look at them. "I do. Now go away."

They visibly flinched, looking like they'd just been slapped. "B-But Sasuke-kun! Why?" Ino whined. "What makes them so special?" They glared at us, well mainly me, their outbursts gathering the attention of the class. I see Sasuke roll his eyes. "They are both important to me. Simple as that." They shriek as their faces become all sharply pointed angles, veins pulsing in their foreheads. "Y-y-y-you're a two-timer!" they yell. Now all eyes are on us and I have the overwhelming urge to slug them. Sasuke sweat-drops. " I mean we can understand M-Mai, b-b-but that hell spawn? WHY?""Don't get over imaginative." He says tonelessly. "Mai is my younger sister, and Kaiko might as well be too." I fight to keep my face expressionless while my stomach sinks to the floor. A little sister…so that's all I'll ever be. Well I don't think anyone noticed.

"WHHAAAAATTTTT!" all the girls screamed. "MAI IS YOUR SISTER?" I felt a sudden twinge of irritation. "Sasuke UCHIHA, Mai UCHIHA. It's not rocket science!" They all stare at me, expressions changing from relief to annoyance. "Troublesome women never pay attention to details like that." I look to the back of the room. A boy, Shikamaru I think it is, I leaning back in his chair, staring out the window. They flush slightly before returning their glares to me. "I don't recall ever asking you," Sakura says coldly. "We don't associate with demons. And here I thought the Uchiha clan had standards," Ino says, smirking at me.

"BITCH!" Mai screams, lunging at them. They flinch back as Sasuke and I grab her arms. She snarls at Sakura and Ino. "Let me go," she yells. Then I get an idea. "It's alright, Mai-chan," I say. She turns back to me, confusion crossing her features. I wink at her. "There's nothing you can do about their obvious hatred for me." She catches on, grinning wildly. "That's right," Sakura says. "Everyone here hates you. Nothings gonna change that." "Well that's too bad," I sigh, letting go of Mai's arm. They drop their smirks. "What's that supposed to mean?" Ino spits. "It's nothing," Mai says, leaning back in her seat.

"It's just that, you've just ruined all chances of being with Sasuke. You see, he only considers dating girls that we like. Isn't that right Nii-chan?" Sasuke just "Hn"s and all the girls in the room scream. "It's a shame isn't it Mai-chan?" I say, enjoying this way too much. "They'll never have a chance." Mai sniggers. "Yes, because as of now, we've decided that we hate you both." Sakura and Ino looked shell shocked, trying to make sense of what we said. "Y-y-you….SASUKE!" they both yell. We share a smirk.

A sudden thump leads to me to turn forwards too. Naruto is squatting on our desk, having some sort of glaring contest with Sasuke. Then Naruto falls forward. I can already see what'll happen if I don't intervene. Quickly, I plant my finger in his forehead, stopping his decent. "Watch it there," I say, looking up at him. "I'd sit down Naruto," Mai says softly. "Hurry before Iruka-sensei shows up." She scoots closer to Sasuke, motioning for him to take a seat. Just as he sits, Iruka-sensei walks in. sadly, Sakura manages to scoot in next to him.

**XXxXX Sasuke**

I watch as Naruto takes a seat next to Mai. And he's….blushing. My hands clench slightly. I'm going to need to have a talk with him after this. "Good morning class," Iruka says. It's about time the orientation started. "As of today you are all ninjas. To get here, you've faced difficult trials and hardships. But that's nothing. Now you are only Genin, first level ninjas. All the Genin will be grouped into three man squads. Each will be led by a Jonin, an elite ninja."

Huh, a three man squad? That would only slow me down. "We want each squad to have a balance of strengths and abilities. I will now announce the squads." We all waited patiently, well almost. I could see Naruto squirming on the other side of Mai. "Squad 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha." SHIT! A useless idiot and an even more useless fangirl. Of all the people here why them? As I wallowed in masked misery, all other Squads were assigned.

But then I noticed that Mai and Kaiko were sharing a confused and slightly worried look. They hadn't been called. "Due to over flow, Mai Uchiha and Kaiko will be placed in Squad 7 to counterbalance their more….unique flaws." Iruka announces. They let out a small sigh of relief, and I smile slightly into my hands. There are a bunch of other, more audible sighs coming from around the room that follow the announcement of Kaiko's name. Irritation washes over me as the room becomes silent again.

But a sudden depressed wail broke the silence as we see Sakura slumped over on the desk. "How are we so flawed that we need a demon on our squad?" she screeches. "If anything, that would make it worse! How can something like her even become a ninja?" I see Kaiko's head droop out of the corner of my eye, and fury flows through me. She's miserable here, but she stays because of Mai. She could leave anytime she wanted, but she chose to stay. I don't want her feeling like this on account of us. "Shut up Sakura." There's a collective gasp from around the room.

Kaiko's head snaps up, and she looks over to me. Her eyes are wide and a light pink dusts her cheeks. "T-thanks," she mutters, smiling. I nod, smiling into my hands. Mai pokes my arm. I turn to her and she winks. I feel my face heat up and look away quickly, hearing her soft giggle. She won't be letting go of this anytime soon.

**XXxXX Naruto**

Five humiliating minutes later, I finally find Sakura-chan wandering around outside. "Hey Sakura-chan!" I called. "Since we're in the same group, I was thinking we could have lunch together and get to know each other. She turns to me, a scowl gracing her features. "Why would I eat lunch with you?" she spat.

She looked at me like I was something disgusting, like a cockroach. I shrank back a bit, even though I was all to use to this kind of look. "How could that though even cross your mind?" "But we're in the same group and all-" "You're annoying!" she spat. And with that she turned on heel and walked away, calling for that damn Uchiha.

**XXxXX Mai**

Kai-chan, Sasuke and I watch from the roof as Sakura walks off, calling for Sasuke. I feel him tense behind me as her voice reaches us. Naruto just stands there for a second, stunned. Fury courses through me as I see his shoulders slump. He walks away, looking completely broken. "That, that bitch!" I hiss. I'm trembling with fury. Kai-chan wraps her arms around me, and I relax a little.

"Clam down Mei," Sasuke says, meeting my eyes. "How can you tell me to calm down?" I growl. "What if that was me down there Sasuke? If it had been me would you be calm?" His hands clenched. "Of course I wouldn't," he hissed. "If it were you the guy would be dust by now." Kai-chan sighs. "Both of you stop," she says coldly. "Mei, I have an idea if you want to help him out. But you have to calm down first." I slump over, allowing Kai-chan to support my weight. "Fine," I mumble.

She turns over to Sasuke, and I can tell by his nervous look; she's using the 'eyes'. Kai-chan has completely mastered the whole puppy dog look. But for some reason, on her it's ten times more effective. "You'll help us, won't you Sasuke?" Ah, so that's it. "I don't like that look your giving me," Sasuke mumbles nervously. "What are you plotting?" But Kai-chan just smirks.

**XXxXX Sasuke**

I don't know how she does it. She still manages to look angelic while plotting Sakura's doom. Hey, I'm not opposed to the idea myself. But what I don't understand is why they're going to all this effort for the dobe. She turns to look at me, and my insides turn to jelly. Her eyes are almost ridiculously large, pleading silently with me. My blood boils under my skin as she stares intently at me. My body feels hot, and I pray I'm not blushing. Glancing at Mai, I see her neutral expression, so I'm not.

Thank god. "Why do you need me?" I ask, honestly confused. Not that I'll admit it. Kaiko's eyes lose their pleading look, and are replaced by a devious glint. "We just need your permission to use a transformation jutsu." I cross my arms. "Why do you need my permission?" She smirks. "Because it'll be you Naruto transforms into." I freeze. "Me?" Kaiko nods. "And what good will that do?" she turns to Mai, making a face. "Boys," they groan in unison. Mai rolls her eyes. "Kai-chan, we're gonna have to spell it out for him." Kaiko nods, turning back to me.

"If Naruto turns into you and insults Sakura bad enough, either A) she'll be too upset to be a bitch, or B) she'll think you're an asshole and stop stalking you. Either way, Naruto gets revenge and you get one less annoying fan girl. It's a win-win situation." Oh. "That's it? Why would you bother going through all that trouble for an off chance result?" Kaiko lets out an exasperated sigh, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You my friend…are dense." Ouch.

That word hit me in the gut. HARD. Knowing my face was well trained enough not to give away emotion, I meet her eyes. "Fine." I grumble. "But if he does ANYTHING STUPID as me, I'm going to kill him." They smile as I turn around. "See you after lunch!" Mai calls as I jump from the roof.

**XXxXX Mai **

We find Naruto sitting on the roof of a tall building. Butterflies surge through me as I look up at him. "Come on," Kai-chan says, grabbing my arm. We jump up, landing behind him. "Ah, Naruto?" I say quietly. He turns, eyeing us skeptically. "Kaiko-chan? And Mai?" he asked. I nod. "We uh, kinda saw what happened with Sakura." He flinched, and I immediately felt guilty.

"Oh that." I feel my cheeks heat up. "We uh, …..um, that is-" but Kai-chan cut in, knowing I was having trouble for a reason. "We have an idea to get back at Sakura." He looks completely and utterly confused. "But why would you help me Mai? Don't you hate me like Sasuke?" he asked. Kai-chan glanced my way, giving me the reigns from here. "Well, you know, we're in the same squad and all, so we thought we'd give you a hand," I reply shyly. God, why can't I be myself around him? I hate this feeling, it's horrible. "And because we personally think she's a-" "not such a great ninja as well as incredibly rude," I cut in.

Knowing Kai-chan, if I had let her go on she would have described Sakura using every fowl word she knows. And trust me, she knows A LOT. Naruto stands, facing us. "So you really want to help me?" "Of course!" we chorus. "If there's someone on my team that needs help, I'm sure as hell gonna give it," Kai-chan says happily. I smile. At least she's not like Sasuke. He'd probably just stand there doing nothing. "Well, um, ok. Thanks!" Naruto says smiling. Dear god, his smile. I felt like I'd melt. I turn away, knowing full well I was blushing. "So Naruto," Kai-chan says. "I really hope you worked around the block on your transformation jutsus….."

**XXxXX Naruto**

"You have a charmingly wide forehead. It makes me want to kiss it." I can't believe it. Kaiko-chan's idea was actually working perfectly. Sakura-chan thinks I'm Teme. She's blushing, her green eyes wide with surprise. "Or at least, that's what Naruto would say." Ouch. Her face fell. I take another rout. "I've got something to ask you," I say, sitting down next to her. She perks up almost instantly. "Yes?" she says quietly. "What do you think of Naruto?" I almost regret asking as she glares at the floor.

"He's quiet at home interfering, and enjoys when I make mistakes," she spits out. I feel a sinking feeling in my chest, but try to ignore it as she carries on. "Naruto doesn't understand one thing about me. He just annoys me!" I feel shattered as she looks back my way. "All I want, is for you to accept me Sasuke." I feel my face flush. "For me to accept you," I echo. She blushes as she looks up to me. "I'll do anything for the sake of that." I almost jump as I see her leaning towards me. "I'm desperate, so.." she trails off, puckering her lips.

My heart leaps in my chest as I lean forward, only to stop halfway. _"Well, you know, we're in the same squad and all, so we thought we'd give you a hand."_ That one picture of Mai pops up in my head. Her wringing her fingers, her cheeks the same scarlet as her kimono. She was willing to help me. She talked to me like an equal. She…cared about my emotions. Sakura saw me as annoying, like some fly she wished to squash. But Mai…..Mai-chan was concerned about my happiness. "What's wrong?" Sakura is staring at me, still leaning across the bench. "I-I gotta go," I say.

I spring out of my seat, running in the opposite direction. The only though on my head being 'Mai-chan.'

**XXxXX Sasuke**

I walk down the paved path, letting my thoughts wander. So my thoughts drift to frequently visited topic. Kaiko. My sister's best friend. Is it wrong I feel attracted to her? Sure, she's a year younger than me, but then again, so are all the other girls. But she is nothing like them. She wouldn't sink so low to try and gain a boy's attention. She didn't need to. A mere glance at her would have you doing a double-take. And I bet if the other boys' parents hadn't made it clear to stay away from her, she'd have a fan club that could rival the size of mine.

She has an air of mystery that hasn't vanished since she came into our lives. Her whole upper body is covered in bandages, from her waist to her neck, shoulders to wrists. She wears a tube-top-styled jumpsuit that stops a little above mid-thigh and a purple sash. Her sea-foam green hair flows like silk down to her mid-thigh. Then there are these three locks of it that are a unique whitish silver color. Two of them are clamped with purple beads and come to her coller bones, and the other hangs in a braid to her waist. Clamped around her head is a metal band the villagers of Takigakure put on her to seal the seven-tails.

I don't know why, but ever since she restored Mai, I've felt a strong urge to protect her too. Mai's teased me about liking her before, but I've always denied it. Now I wonder if it was I was scared to admit it because I was scared of losing what I loved again, or if it was because I was just scared of what every other guy is. Rejection. I felt my face heat up as I pictured her face after the incident in the classroom. But now that no one's here to see it, it's much more…vibrant.

There's a squeal from up ahead, snapping me back to reality. The blush fades, and is replaced by my usual stoic mask. It's just Sakura. Sadly, I'll have to walk past her to get back to the class. "Oh Sasuke, you're such a shy bad boy!" Wait. What? I try to ignore her as I walk past, but no such luck. "Are you prepared?" She asks. "I'm raring to go!" WHAT THE FREAKING HELL DID THAT DOBE DO? "H-hey Sasuke?" I stare at her. "Where's Naruto?"

"Oh there you go changing the subject again," she laughs. "Just leave Naruto alone! All he does is pick fights with you." I continue looking around as she rambles on. "It's because he wasn't raised right. You know he doesn't have any parents right?" I flinch. "He always selfishly does whatever he wants! My parents would get mad at me if I did something like that." I glare at the ground. I seriously want to rip her tongue out right now. "There are no parents to nag you if it's just you alone. So his selfishness comes out at various times!" my shoulders tense as my glare intensifies.

"The loneliness, is something worse than getting scolded by parents," I spit. "W-what's gotten into you?" she stammers. "You annoy me," I say. I hear her gasp, but I continue on, wanting to be as far away from her as possible. It's a shame I can't avoid her for the rest of my life.

**XXxXX Mai**

We sit in the classroom, completely and utterly board. I even caved into Kai-chan and let her braid my hair. She's still at it too. And I caved around forty five minutes ago. Naruto is constantly checking the hallways, Sasuke is just sitting there, and Sakura is thinking creepy fan girl thoughts. "Naruto! Stay still!" She yells. "Why is it only our squad teacher that's late?" he whines. "The other squads have gone off somewhere with their new teachers. And Iruka-sensei's also left."

Then a devious grin crosses his face. He pulls over a stool and the chalk board eraser. I sigh, he's asking for it. I tune out Sakura as she scolds him, fiddling with a lock of my hair. Then the door slides open, and the eraser hits its target. A tall man with gravity defying silver hair bends to pick up the eraser.

He's got a mask and his headband covering most of his face, only exposing his right eye. He doesn't look like much to me, but I guess we'll see. He stands up, looking us over. "How can I put this," he asks himself. "As for my first impression of you guys….well, I hate you." Well there's a shocker.

He leads us to a balcony overlooking the city, having us sit on the steps as he sits on the railing. "Let's see," she mumbles. "First off, let me have you guys introduce yourselves." "Introduce ourselves?" Sakura asks. "What should we say?" "Your likes, dislikes, your future dream, hobbies, stuff like that," he says. "Hey before that, please tell us about yourself," Naruto asks.

"Me? My name is Kakashi Hatake. I don't feel like telling you about my likes and dislikes. I've never really thought about my future dream. As for my hobbies, I have many." Kai-chan and I exchange puzzled glances. "In the end, isn't all we know his name?" Sakura asks. He ignores this, continuing on. "Now for you guys. Let's start with you," he says pointing at Naruto.

"My name's Naruto Uzumaki." He yells. "I like instant ramen, but what I like even more is the ramen from Ichiraku that Iruka-sensei treats me to. What I dislike are the three minutes after pouring the water into the instant ramen. My hobby is eating and comparing ramen. And my future dream is to surpass the Hokage! And so I'm going to get the entire village to acknowledge my existence!" I can see Kakashi-sensei's eyes widen for a second but then go back to being lazy. "Okay, next."

"I'm Sakura Haruno!" Both Kai-chan and I flinch. Her voice is just…..ugh. "What I like….I mean who I like is…." She keeps looking at Sasuke. And it's taking a lot of will power for me to not stand up and scream 'ITS NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!' "And my hobby is…I mean…my future dream is…." She broke off in the most annoying high pitched squeal I've ever heard. Good god, and I have to spend every day for the rest of who knows how long listening to that. I'm gonna end up killing her just to make her shut up.

"And what about your dislikes?" Kakashi-sensei asks. She scowls. "People who get things they don't deserve," she spits, eyeing Naruto and Kai-chan. I'm about ready to tackle her as Kakashi turns to me. "And you?" he asks. I stop trembling and think a second.

"My name is Mai Uchiha. I like training, reading, watching the clouds, making new friends, and hanging out with Sasuke and Kai-chan. I dislike girls who bother my brother," I say, sending a glare to Sakura. "And when people treat the people I'm close to badly. And my dream for the future is to become a Jonin as quickly as possible."

"Alright," he says eyeing Sasuke. "Next." "My name is Sasuke Uchiha," he says, his face as stony as ever. "I have lots of dislikes, and not many likes in particular." I mentally sigh, leaning back on the steps. Trust him to be uncooperative at a time like this. "And, I don't feel like summing up my ambition as just a dream. But I do have an ambition. The ambition to restore my clan, and without fail, to kill a certain man." There is an uneasy silence as he finishes. "And lastly," Kakashi-sensei says, breaking it. He looks toward Kai-chan.

She sighs. "My name is Kaiko. I don't know my last name, or who my parents were. My likes are mainly people. Specifically people who have accepted me even though I hold Chōmei inside my body, like Hokage-sama, Mai-chan, Naruto, Sasuke, Iruka sensei, Teuchi-san, and his daughter Ayame. But most of all I love Chōmei. My hobbies are training With Mai-chan and Sasuke." I could swear I saw Sasuke smile. This is great! I really think he likes her. If only I could convince him to let her live in the compound with us.

"But I hate the villagers of Takigakure, who happily handed me over to a man who thinks it's perfectly ok to abduct and experiment on kids." Her voice is thick, and full of distain. She begins to curl in on herself, wrapping her arms around herself. "And I also hate the majority of Kanoha because they treat me like Takigakure did. I don't really have a dream for the future, except to somehow prove I'm not the monster everyone makes me out to be." I hear Sakura scoff, muttering something under her breath. My fury sparks. "Excuse me Sakura, but if you don't watch the things you say I might have to hurt you," I growl. She flinches back slightly.

"Good!" Kakashi-sensei says, as if I hadn't just threatened her. "The five of you are very distinctive and interesting." He looks us over quickly. "Tomorrow we'll have a mission!" "Yes sir!" Naruto yells. "What kind of mission?" "First, we'll see what you can do," Kakashi-sensei explains. "We'll have a survival exercise." "Why are we doing an exercise when this is supposed to be a mission?" Sakura pipes up. "We've had more than our share of exercises in the Academy." "This is no simple exercise," our sensei says. "Then what kind of exercise is it?" Naruto asks.

He chuckles. "What's so funny sensei?" Sakura asks. "Well, if I tell you, you'll grow disenchanted." I've got a bad feeling now. "What?" Naruto presses. I'm guessing he's grinning behind that mask, 'cuz he looks super creepy right now. "Of the twenty-nine graduates, only eleven will be recognized as Genin ninjas. The remaining will be sent back to the Academy. In other words this exercise is an extremely difficult test that has a failure rate of 66% or higher." My stomach plummets.

"See, see?" Kakashi-sensei says. "You got disenchanted!" "That's crazy!" Naruto yells. "Then what was the graduation test for?" Kakashi sighs. "Oh that? It was just to select those who have the potential of becoming Genin." "WHATTT?" he yells. "Well, that's the way it is," Kakashi says. "I'll be determining whether you pass or fail. Bring your complete set of ninja tools. We meet at five in the morning. Okay, you're dismissed!"

Kai-chan and I get up, stretching our limbs. "Oh, and you best skip breakfast," he adds. "You'll throw up." Great. 5am, no breakfast, and most likely a whiny fan girl. What were the odds?

Just to throw in some sweet revenge, I wink at Kai-chan and nod towards Sakura. Her eyes glint deviously as she nods. "Sasuke Nii-chan!" I yell. He looks over. He knows when I add 'Nii-chan' that he needs to just play along. I'll be over quicker. "What?" he asks. "Can Kai-chan sleep over tonight?" I ask, using my own version of the puppy dog eyes. He sighs and smirks a little, catching on. "Alright," he says. There's an outraged scream from Sakura, but we just book it out of there and make our way over to Kai-chan's apartment.

So,


	2. Chapter 2

**Just a quick disclaimer before we start. As you can see I changed my penname. Unfortunately, I am no longer on speaking terms with Hana and Meimei. It has been almost two months since they last took the time to speak to me, so I just want to make it clear that they abandoned their OCs in all our stories. So I cannot be blamed for still using them. If you two happen to be reading this and you want them taken out, then FRIGGEN TALK TO ME. If you decide to be immature and wait till I'm like 20 chapters in to say something then I ****will not ****rewrite this whole story.**

**A special thanks to my beta Nenshou Mirai~ ^^**

**Anyways, on with the story!**

**XXxXX Kaiko**

My eyes flutter open to meet the murky blackness of early morning. I look out the window, and judging by the almost pitch black; it's probably around 4 am. I wriggle out of the extra bed in Mai's room, wincing as my bare feet come in contact with the freezing floor. Like usual, my waking doesn't do anything to stir Mai. I swear this village could be on fire and she'd still be out like a light. I giggle silently to myself. It's not really be the best quality to have in our line of work. But then again, Mai will be Mai no matter what the rules say.

I grab my change of clothes and head for the bathroom, wondering why I'm bothering to be so quiet. I guess it's just a conditioned reflex. I untangle my hair in silence, watching the weak rays of early morning sun begin to break through the mist that hangs over the village. I wonder what Kakashi-sensei has planned for us.

'_**Are you worried?**_**'** I smile slightly.

'_No,_' I answer as I begin sectioning off pieces of my hair. I can feel Chōmei's laughter ring through me.

'_**Really? Not even a little?'**_

'_Why would I be?_' I ask.

'_**Well, aren't you planning on using our wings today? It'll be the first time in a while.'**_ I swallow hard, trying to ignore the sudden fluttering in my stomach.

'_It's us, we'll be fine,_' I say, trying to keep my voice even. '_And what's with the uncharacteristic worry?_'

'_**Remember, I'm looking out for the both of us. We have no idea what that Jonin has planned for you guys.**_'

Chōmei's voice fades in my mind as I go back to braiding my hair tight against my head, wishing Chōmei would have been as bubbly as normal this morning. Now I have the pinpricks of nerves in my stomach. I try to ignore it as I insert the last of the pins in my hair, before I start unwrapping my bandages. I swallow the bile in my throat as I pull a new roll from the cabinet, trying to avoid staring at my reflection for too long.

I rewrap my arms and torso as quickly as possible before tugging on a long-sleeve black turtle neck. The more I don't see the happier I am. I slip into a pair of black shorts and sandals before heading back out. Mai is still snoring, so I walk over, shaking her softly.

"Come on Mai," I mutter. She groans, rolling over to face the wall.

"Five more minutes," she moans before she pulls the covers over her head.

I whack the back of her head before I stalk back to my bed, knowing a lost cause when I see one. I grab my kunai pouches and head down to the kitchen. I just hope she'll be up in time.

I slump down in front of the table, fastening the pouches to my hips and thigh. She's so difficult in the mornings. It's a good thing we don't need to eat. I catch sight of a fruit bowl in the center of the table. A muted growl comes from my stomach as I look at the pile of grapes, apples, and oranges.

'**Just eat it. You'll need it today.'** Chōmei's voice fades away again and my stomach growls louder. Chōmei's probably right, so I don't hesitate to grab an orange this time.

"You're not going to listen to him?"

I glance up. Sasuke is standing in the doorway, regarding me with a small smirk. I look down at the orange and up at him.

"Chōmei recommends I eat. I'll need the energy with some of the stuff I'll be attempting." I steps over to the other end of the table.

"Stuff like what?" he asks. I can see the smallest spark of curiosity in his eyes. I grin, pressing a finger to my lips.

"It's a surprise," I whisper. "But I've got to admit I'm a bit rusty. I haven't really worked with Chōmei since I came here," I say. Something I can't identify flickers through his eyes.

"By the way," I mutter. "Thanks for what you did yesterday...with Sakura." He says nothing, but his surprise is just barely concealed. And if I'm not mistaken, I thought I could see the slightest hint of-

"Bitch had it coming." Our eyes flicker to the doorway. Mai trudges into the room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "She doesn't know when to shut her mouth." I grin as she plops down on an empty side of the table. "I'm not looking forward to hearing her complain." I grin.

"Sounds like you need food more than any of us," I say.

"It's tempting..." she says, eyeing the bowl. "But I don't feel like hurling in the middle of a training session."

"Then split it," I say, breaking off a third of my orange. "This is your last chance." She glares at me before taking it.

"Alright, but if I do puke it's on you," she grumbles. I smile at her before breaking the rest of the orange in half.

"Sasuke?" I ask, handing it to him. I know he prefers tomatoes, but he takes it without hesitation, staying silent as Mai and I eat and head for the door. I wish all my mornings could be like this. I miss having a family.

**XXxXX Mai**

We walk in silence to the training field. It's still dark, and I can't see very far ahead of me. Eventually I can make out the forms of Sakura and Naruto, who still look more than half asleep. I feel my face heat up, and I wish I was wearing something cuter. But this is training, so I'll just need to gain his attention in other ways. All those fancy clothes and hair are for people like Sakura and Ino.

"Morning," Sakura mumbles, rubbing her eyes.

She sends a half-hearted glare at Kaiko and I, but smiles at Sasuke. We meet at the center of the field and I dump my black bag on the ground. I slump down next to it, before glancing up at Kaiko and Sasuke. Sasuke stands with his back to us, and Kaiko takes that moment to drops down next to me. She lies down on her back, staring up at the grey sky. Her violet eyes are glazed over slightly, like they always so when she talks to Chōmei. Sasuke glances over his shoulder slightly. If it were anyone but me, I think they wouldn't have noticed.

He's so obvious it's killing me. How long is he gonna wait to tell Kaiko he likes her? His eyes shift back to the other end of the training ground, looking for any sign of our sensei.

Sakura tries in vain to start up a conversation with him, but he may as well be deaf with what attention he pays to it. She eventually gives up and slumps down on the other side of Naruto, who's fallen asleep. I smile softly, resisting the urge to scoot closer to him. He looks so peaceful right now you'd never guess what his life was like. He rolls over towards me, and I focus my gaze on my feet.

The hours roll by slowly. The sun rises to its full height, dragging our shadows out across the grassy field. By now Naruto's woken up and is fidgeting nervously, sending nervous looks towards Sakura. I feel a small pang in my chest every time he does it, so I try to keep myself occupied with drilling all the jutsus I may need today in my head. Kaiko is still talking with Chōmei, but their conversation seems to be ending as her irises clear up.

"How are you feeling?" she asks as she sits up. I look down at my stomach, which is beginning to complain.

"Better than if I hadn't eaten anything," I mutter.

She stretches her arms and legs out before pulling herself to her feet.

"C'mon," she says, holding out her hands. I roll my eyes as I grab onto them. She pulls me to my feet just as a mop of gravity-defying silver hair appears behind her.

"Hi, folks," our sensei says calmly. "Good morning." Sakura and Naruto jump to their feet, annoyance written clear on their faces.

"You're late!" they yell angrily. Our sensei just grins sheepishly.

"Well, a black cat crossed my path, you see," he says.

Is this guy for real?

"You don't really strike me as the superstitious type Kakashi-sensei," Kaiko says with a sweat drop. He just clears his throat.

"Ahem! Oh well," he mutters. He pulls out a timer and sets it on a nearby tree stump. "Ok, it's set for twelve," he says as he presses the start button. He then produces three silver bells from the pocket of his Jonin vest, holding them out for us to see.

"Today's assignment is to take these bells away from me by noon," he explains. "Those who can't do it won't get lunch."

I cock an eyebrow. So that's what the no breakfast thing was about!? I scowl at him, but that just seems to make him smile.

"They'll be tied to that," he says, gesturing to the set of tree stumps. "And I'll eat my lunch before your very eyes." What a jackass!

"But, hold on," Sakura pipes up. "Why are there only three bells? I can swear I see the damn jerk smile under his mask.

"There are only three, so at the very least, there are two of you will have to go to the logs. Those two will be disqualified for failing the mission and be sent back to the academy. It could be two of you at the very least, or it could be all of you."

I'm about to explode when Kaiko puts a hand on my shoulder. She gives me a warning look, but she also sends me something else. Sasuke can probably handle this one on his own, but we'll need to help each other out.

"You can use your shuriken," Kakashi says. "You won't be able to take these bells from me unless you come at me with the intent to kill." Well if he keeps carrying on like this that won't be a problem. This guy's one step away from pissing me off big time.

"But, that's dangerous sir!"

Ugh, I almost forgot about loudmouth.

"Y-yeah that's right," Naruto stammers. Ok that I wasn't expecting. "You couldn't even avoid a chalkboard eraser!" He studies Naruto for a moment before smirking under his mask.

"In this world, those who aren't skilled enough tend to complain more. Well, just ignore the loser; begin when I give the ready-go." I see Naruto flinch, and his hand moves to his kunai holster. He lunges for Kakashi, but before I can even blink, Kakashi has his arm twisted, pointing the kunai to the back of his neck. My breath catches in my throat.

"Don't be so hasty," Kakashi says calmly. "I didn't say start yet." He lets go of Naruto, who stumbles forward, clutching the arm that was twisted behind his head.

"But that's fine." We turn back to Kakashi. "At least you came with the intent to kill me." Naruto grins.

"How should I put this? I think I'm finally starting to like you guys." We all share a brief smile before Kakashi's stare hardens.

"We're going to start." We all crouch down, and butterflies surge through my stomach. But I keep a straight face as Kakashi utters his next words.

"Ready...Start!" We all push off, heading for the nearest hiding place. Kaiko and I head for the cover of a dense thicket, refusing to be the ones sent back to the academy.

**XXx Author's Notes xXX**

**whew~ i'm done! yay...so sorry this took so long. like i said in my other story, i'm really slow with reinventing polt lines -_-' but i've got it now so they'll be faster!**

**till next time!**

**mitsu-chan **


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